Fastener for bands or the like

Patent 4226008 Issued on October 7, 1980. Estimated Expiration Date:

October 6, 1998. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

3872554

Inventor

Kramer, Friedhelm

Assignee

Schaeffer-Homberg GmbH

Application

No. 05/949049 filed on 10/06/1978

US Classes:

24/68R, STRAP TIGHTENERS2/237Adjustable or elastic

Examiners

Primary: Lyddane, William E.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Farber; Martin A.

International Class

A41F 1/00 (20060101)

Foreign Application Priority Data

1977-10-12 DE

Description

Fastener for bands or the like, particularly on pants, shirts, pockets or the like, comprising a rail provided with catches and a slide running on the rail, which slide has an angular-shapedfolding lever, the shorter angle leg of the folding lever engaging in the catch recesses of the rail in the folded-up position of the folding lever, and with which fastener the folding lever has a window-like opening for the free passage therethrough ofa cover strip, the latter lying on the outside in front of the rail, such that the window opening-frame leg, which frame leg points to the slide bottom plate, engages in the catch recesses of the rail on the center section of the frame leg.

As a consequence of this formation the catch means are withdrawn from sight. The cover strip which covers the catch means is set through a window-shaped opening of the folding lever in a course which does not prevent the operation of thefastener. The strip whereby covers the rail which has the catch recesses, the catch projection of the folding lever and the slider bottom plate. The window plane lies transversely and slightly inclined, respectively, relative to the cover strip. Consequently the narrow edges of the window opening form the contact surfaces with the cover strip, which, depending upon the material used for the cover strip, under the circumstances can lead to immediate wear.

It is an object of the present invention to construct a fastener according to this type in a manner which is simple in manufacturing, and advantageous in use, without increasing its construction form, such that a wear-free guiding of the coverstrip is obtained.

This task is solved by the invention set forth in claim 1.

The dependent claims constitute advantageous additional formations of the subject matter of the invention.

In this manner an extremely low wear cover strip-pass is achieved. The cover strip pass supports itself in the locking position in a relatively wide-surface manner on the window opening-frame leg which then runs in a parallel flat positionrelative to the cover of the guide tunnel of the rail. In this practically main or predominant position the cover strip no longer engages against a relatively sharp narrow edge of the window opening. The relative movements (when also small) between theframe leg and the cover strip consequently do not lead to the occurrence of wear even with cheaper material for the cover strip. The construction form can be held more compactly, since practically the window opening-frame leg edge, which is directlyconnected to the catch projection, only still is projected over by the cover strip and the lateral legs, which legs are to be held relatively flat. The parallel window opening-frame leg edge may be shifted back so far in the range of the gripping handleof the fastener that the edge lies in the vicinity of the end section, the latter lying on one end of the band anyway. A correspondingly large window opening has the advantage that the fastener appears optically smaller in the foreground. Beyond thislarger window opening brings the advantage of a simplified assembly or mounting.

In order also to protect the narrow edges of the cover strip against wear, the outlet-sided end zones of the window opening-frame leg transfer with a funnel-shaped course into the ascending lateral legs of the window opening. Between the windingopening-frame leg which is aligned in the flat position relative to the cover wall of the rail guide tunnel and the adjoining lateral legs, likewise as a result there is produced a large surface support zone for the cover strip.

By the further construction measure that the catch projection of the fastener is aligned sloping downwardly inclined relative to the plane of the adjoining window opening-frame leg, a favorable upper-dead point position is achieved, the upperdead point position achieving a type of self or automatic locking. On the other hand by the thus provided angling-off or bending in the pivotal range of the folding lever, this zone is stabilized in a particular manner. In the manner that the windowopening-frame leg has a convex arch viewed in the longitudinal direction of the rail, the natural course of the arch of the cover strip is taken into consideration.

Further advantages and details of the subject matter of the invention are moreclosely explained in the following on the basis of one embodiment example which is shown drawing-wise. It shows:

FIG. 1 is the fastener which is formed in accordance with the invention on a trouser band,

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the fastener in detail illustration and in a scale which is enlarged with respect to FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a section according to the line III--III in FIG. 2, however with the rail,

FIG. 4 is a section according to the line IV--IV in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 5 is the fastener in perspective, partial illustration with illustration of the rail guide tunnel with a folding lever articulated in the range of the cover.

The fastener which is guided slide-like on a closely toothed catch rail 1has a folding lever 2 as well as a slider bottom plate 3 which mounts the lever.

The rail 1 has transversely disposed catch recesses 5, the catch recesses 5 being divided by a centrally extending sew-on recess 4. The base 6 of the rail is indented or contracted. This contraction is gripped behind by the guide tabs 7, thelatter being bent-off in double from the slide bottom plate 3, i.e. from its cover 3'. The cover 3' and the guide tabs 7 form a C-like profiled guide tunnel T (compare FIG. 5).

The slide bottom plate is shifted over the front or face end of the rail. A seam 8 holds the rail 1 and consequently the fastener at one end A of the waistband 9 of the pants.

The angle-shaped folding lever 2 has a shorter angle leg 10 and a longer angle leg 11. These legs lie at an obtuse angle with respect to one another.

The tilting or folding axle is formed by projections 12 of material of the shorter angle leg 10, which material projections 12 are taken into consideration during the stamping or pressing-out manufacturing operation. These material projectionsproject as axles into side walls 14 of the cover 3' of the sliding bottom plate 3, the side walls 14 forming the bearing bores 13 of the bearing eyes. The bearing eyes are correspondingly taken into consideration during the stamping or pressing-outoperation. For mounting or assembling, the bearing tabs are slightly pressed outwardly. After congruent alignment of the material projections 12 relative to the bearing bores 13, the bearing eyes are again pressed back into the parallel position, whichis evident from FIG. 5. The folding lever 2 is then mounted on the sliding bottom plate 3 without being able to come out and get lost.

In the area of the folding axle, the substantially rectangular folding lever 2 has a window-shaped substantially square opening 16. This opening permits the free passage therethrough of a cover strip 17, the latter being secured with its freeends on the band 9, the cover strip being arranged on the outside in front of the rail 1. This cover strip 17 which has a corresponding width, not only covers the rail 1, but even substantially covers the sliding bottom plate 3 as well as the foldingaxle-sided window opening-frame leg 18 from sight.

In the closed position of the folding lever 2, the window opening-frame leg 18 occupies a parallel, flat-position with respect to the cover 3' of the guide tunnel T of the rail, so that the cover strip 17, which runs through the window-shapedopeing 16, in this position has a relatively large area engagement surface for the cover strip.

The window opening-frame leg continues over the slightly rounded bending zone K into the shorter angle leg 10, the latter projecting into the guide tunnel T of the rail, with the angle leg 10 transferring or passing with its rail-side end sectioninto a projection 19, the latter folding into the catch recesses 5 of the rail 1. The projection and the shorter angle leg are of the same width. This width amounts to somewhat less than the inner open cross-section of the guide tunnel of the rail.

In the locking position the catch projection 19 steps over the dead point line X--X (compare FIG. 4). Upon reaching the dead point position, the rail 1 is compressed stronger. As evident from FIG. 4, with respect to the projection 19 only avery short length of the lever exists, which length is opposed by the far larger length of the lever of the actuation handle. The folding axle is disposed in the lower one-third of the shorter angle leg 10.

In the fastening position the longer angle leg 11 of the folding lever steps against an abutment surface 21 and against the end B of the waistband 9, respectively. The abutment surface is formed from a tongue 22, the latter being step-likeoffset toward the front, the tongue being integral materialwise with the sliding bottom plate 3. The end B of the band 9 lies on the inner surface 23, the latter being opposite to the abutment surface. The band 9 is held by a clamp 24. The clamp 24even could be formed or attached directly to the tongue 22. The fastening space 27 for the fastening end B of the waistband arises by the stepping of the tongue 22.

The sliding bottom plate also has an opening 28 for the free passage therethrough of the cover strip 17, which cover strip consequently covers the section of the rail which lies behind the band 9. The guide tunnel-side frame leg 31 as well asthe two frame legs 32 which run in the direction of extension of the rail, are stabilized by means of a pressed-out or embossed rib 33. The corresponding embossed rib also extends over the rising section of the tongue 22. The higher section of thetongue 22 is stabilized by means of an outer-sided projecting-out portion 34. One passage opening 35 each for the clamp 24 is located on the face side of the projection 34.

That section of the sliding bottom plate 3 which has the opening 28, and the folding lever 2 which covers the sliding bottom plate 3, are of the same width; the section of the bottom plate 3 which forms the guide tunnel T of the rail, to thecontrary is only approximately one-third of this width.

As evident from FIG. 4, the window opening-frame leg 18 is stabilized by means of a convex arching viewed in the longitudinal direction of the rail 1. This arch also corresponds to the course of the arch of the cover strip 17 there, which stripin the area of the waistband end B again runs up to the rail.

The folding axle-side end zones E of the window opening-frame leg 18 are bent up. In this manner the end zones form relatively large-surface side guides for the cover strip. These rising sections 18' moreover are widened in a funnel-like manner(compare FIG. 2) and continue into the transversely-arched side legs 18", in order to go over or pass into the window opening-frame leg 36, the frame leg 36 extending parallel to the window opening-frame leg 18. The frame leg 36 forms an actuationhandle. This frame leg 36 also has a convex arch, the latter being viewed in the longitudinal direction of the rail 1 (compare FIG. 4).

For the purpose of enlarging the extent of the waistband, the folding lever 2 is to be grabbed under on its free end section and is to be folded forwardly. In this manner the shorter angle leg, i.e. its projection 19 steps out of engagement fromthe rail 1. The fastener can then be shifted in the desired direction in order to be fixed anew in the above-described manner.

If such a fastener is used on pockets, bandages or belts, thus the right-side end of the cover strip is to be reversibly fixed (snap-button fastener or clinging fastener) either on one or the other end of the band, while the left-side end of thiscover strip is fixed as before by sewing on or the like.